


Trust

by rathernotmyname



Series: Fictober! 2020 [29]
Category: Mr. Robot (TV)
Genre: Dissociative Identity Disorder, Fictober! Day 29, Gen, Host is angry but he wants to make things right, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Mr. Robot just wants to do his job, Past Sexual Abuse, Post-Canon, none of that is mentioned explicitly don't worry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-16
Updated: 2020-12-16
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:33:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 944
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28107849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rathernotmyname/pseuds/rathernotmyname
Summary: After everything is said and done, the Host wants to tell Darlene. Mr. Robot has something to say to that.
Relationships: Elliot Alderson & Mr. Robot
Series: Fictober! 2020 [29]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2050200
Comments: 2
Kudos: 12





	Trust

**Author's Note:**

> Author's note:  
> I DO NOT CONSENT TO MY WORK BEING HOSTED OR REPOSTED ON ANY UNOFFICIAL APPS OR WEBSITES OTHER THAN ARCHIVE OF OUR OWN WITHOUT MY APPROVAL, PARTICULARLY APPS WITH AD REVENUE AND SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES.

The loud popping noises coming from the microwave almost drown out Elliot’s voice when he says: “I need to tell her.”

“Alright, first of all,” Mr. Robot says hastily, whipping around from where he stares at the popcorn greedily, one hand already raised to fend off any argument Elliot may have in store, “you don’t _need_ to tell anyone anything at all, you hear me? Second of all, sorry to say that, but that’s not a decision you can make alone. Everyone gets a say in this.”

“Yeah, except when it’s all of you who make decisions besides me, that rule doesn’t apply, right?” Elliot hisses, glaring at Mr. Robot, body tensed like a spring.

“We already talked about that,” Mr. Robot mumbles, regret and shame oozing from his words. “I made a lot of mistakes, but I thought I was doing the right thing.”

Elliot laughs, a harsh, desperate, barking laugh. “The right thing?! Oh yes, of course, the right thing. Would you tell me what that right thing is? Last thing I remembered was that you couldn’t give more of a shit about morals.”

“It’s very simple to answer that, actually,” Mr. Robot says, and he almost sounds a little hurt. “The right thing in this case was doing my job, the very reason of my existence.”

Elliot’s mocking smile vanishes.

“And my job was, and still is, to protect you. Things went backwards and straight into hell and worse, I gotta admit that. But I was just trying to protect you, and I don’t intend on stopping now.”

Mr. Robot walks to the microwave, opening the door and pulling out the bag of popcorn, holding it between his fingertips to avoid burning himself. 

Elliot has slumped even more, corners of his mouth pulling down and eyelids heavy with shame.

“I’m sorry,” he croaks a few seconds later, smoothing a hand down his face. “I didn’t mean it like that. I’m still angry at everything and I’m letting it out on all of you.”

“Well, it’s not as if I could blame you,” Mr. Robot mumbles and shoves a handful of popcorn into his mouth. “But I accept your apology.”

“Does he think that I hate him?”

“Who?”

“Mastermind.”

“Huh. Probably. Gotta give it to you now, if you wanna change that, you’re gonna need a lot of time and patience. He’s too stubborn for his own good.”

“I know. I want to, though. Persuade him, I mean. I just…”

Elliot pulls his legs up on the chair and pulls at fistfuls of short, dark hair. “I just want us to talk. All of us. Without anyone trying to kill each other.”

A snort. “Ah, don’t worry. We grew out of that phase.”

Elliot heaves a sigh. “You know what I mean.”

“Yeah.” Mr. Robot picks through the popcorn and wishes for a few M&M’s. “I’d prefer that, too.”

“So, to come back to my actual point… I want to tell Darlene.”

Mr. Robot swallows thickly. 

After that evening with Vera, Mastermind had been adamant about Darlene never finding out about it. Even if it was unbearable to listen to her talking about their dad as if he had been the greatest man alive and even though it hurt when she absentmindedly compared their respective trauma and said things like ‘you’re lucky you got away from mom earlier than me’, he thought that Darlene didn’t deserve having the only parental figure she desperately held onto destroyed before her eyes. She deserved being able to dream about what could have been and to miss their dad without feeling like shit for it.

And even worse, what if she didn’t believe him?

Mr. Robot had tried to reassure Mastermind that Darlene was obviously perceptive enough to know that there was something else, something Elliot knew that she didn’t know. If she could keep all of them apart without much effort, and with the weird way she looked at him sometimes when he acted on certain tics or habits, Mr. Robot didn’t doubt for one second that she’d believe him, if only out of her strong sense of loyalty to her brother. 

Mastermind had refused to see reason. Had even called himself a coward when Mr. Robot tried to convince him, only to end the conversation and never bring up the topic again. Mr. Robot had let him, because it wasn’t his decision to make, not really. He was just seeing to everyone being alright at the end of the day.

“Tell you what,” he starts, holding up a hand in a placating manner when Elliot opens his mouth. “I’m not against it. I still think we should have a very thorough discussion about how and when to tell her. If at all. And if they decide to not tell her-” he steps closer to Elliot, grabbing his shoulder and forcing him to meet his eyes, “-if they happen to outvote you, then you need to accept it. We must be able to trust each other, Elliot, otherwise this is never gonna work in a way that is healthy in the most minimal way. You hear me?”

“I promise,” Elliot says, and his eyes are open and honest when he lifts his head. 

Mr. Robot nods. “Great.”

After a pause, he adds: “It’s better if _you_ invite Mastermind to our little meeting. Sorry to say it, but I can’t always be your go-between.”

“I know. I’ll let him have the walk with Flipper tomorrow morning.”

“Good idea.”

They settle down on the sofa, sharing the popcorn and feeling like they have passed some kind of milestone.

Might be worth talking to Krista about it.

**Author's Note:**

> In this kinda canon-divergent verse, the Aldersystem didn't "vanish" at the end of s4, as it was implied, but they're all still here and are learning to live together and with each other as healthily as possible. Fight me on this. They have also come to the agreement that Mastermind needs a hug.  
> Thank you for reading!


End file.
